Toy Test

[Deleted User]

I had been meaning to start a toy test as Mocha200 asked. She had wanted to get members to try out home-made rabbit toys together.

I made a simple thing, not very creative, but here it is:

you will need:

sheet of nespaper

handful of hay

sisal string

wrap hay in the paper and tie with the string.

here is my trio trying it out

[mocha200]

Thanks Petzy!
Looks like they like that! i just have one Question. what is sisal string?

[Deleted User]

It is a plant fibre used to make twine. You can use any natural string, though. Many rabbit people like to use raffia, or at some dollar stores you can buy all-natural jute twine, that’s a great option for rabbit toys, too.

[LoveChaCha]

Is Paper Twine alright? It is brown.. I use it to hang Chacha’s toys up in her kennel. This is a simple toy! Gonna try it!

[Deleted User]

yes, that’s a good one, too, paper twine. There are quite a few plant fibers that twine can be made from… hemp is another one. I have made toys from hemp rope as well.

[mocha200]

i made a toy and i am trying it out now. i hope they like it!

[mrmac]

I think they like it! Go Neigey go! Gotta come up with something clever…

[Deleted User]

Posted By mrmac on 09/01/2010 12:56 PM
  Gotta come up with something clever…

 

your turn then! the mini rex owners will have an advantage here I think…

mocha: aren’t your rabbits sleeping right now?

[mocha200]

yes they were, but i had just opened there cage so they came out to investigate. they seemed interested but they weren’t really in the playing mood. i will have to see how they do tonight. i will post a pic of it any way though.

[Deleted User]

if anyone has toy ideas, please post for a test here! the only limitation is, it has to be made of materials readily found in most households.

[mocha200]

 

ok here it is. its kinda like Petzy’s ( sorry) but it is a little different.

 

here is the video on how to make it.

 

[mocha200]

oh, here is the materials!
. hay
. toilet paper roll
. 1 sheet of news paper
. 2 paper bag handles

[Deleted User]

oh, that is better than mine. Mine didn’t last long at all, this one would be harder to get to the hay, so more entertaining.

[mrmac]

 

I found a winner! Similar to yours Petzy. One sheet of newspaper, handful of hay rolled into a tube, tied with hemp string, cut the open ends into strips with some hay bits hanging out, cut small holes in the middle section to increase nosy-ness! Dennis loves it! He is sticking his head all the way in the end, they have been playing with it for a good 20 minutes now!

[Deleted User]

What!Those videos were fun! Firstly, your apartment qualifies as rabbit apartment (where do YOU live?)… maybe we should make a category for entire rabbit apartments (as opposed to just rabbit rooms). I was counting on you for the creative touch.. my toy seems pretty lame now!

I think it is safe to say that rabbits go for the ragged edge things… and the tube shape. Will keep this in mind.

You get a 10 from me!
*(I still need two more judges by the way, on this toy test panel, anyone interested? If you want to be a judge, invent a toy first and present with video!)

[Deleted User]

what is this pattern on Dennis’ back anyways? Is he a broken harli?

[mrmac]

They have really taken over! What I wouldn’t give for an extra bedroom! There is always hay EVERYWHERE!!! I just cannot keep up.

He is getting over a REALLY bad shed right now. He fades from brown in the front to black in the back, so his hair banding is very odd, it comes out looking very weird!

His shed… (This was when it had already started growing back a lot!) Sorry the flash in this pic makes him look super red.

Dennis normally…

 

[mocha200]

i went in my room to check on my buns and one of the ties had been ripped off and some news paper chewed. so i guess they like it!

Petzy: is it going to be a test on what the rabbits like best or what we like best?

[LoveChaCha]

GO BUNNY PARENTS

I have a shredder.. I need to make something fun for my bunny. I need to steal the newspaper from downstairs and shread it..

[Deleted User]

Posted By mocha200 on 09/01/2010 05:14 PM

  is it going to be a test on what the rabbits like best or what we like best?

 

I don’t know… how about you become a judge and decide?

[mocha200]

ok i will.

[Deleted User]

We need one more judge… I am suggesting mrmac.. since she has four very busy bunnies to try out toys…

[mrmac]

I will do it!

[Deleted User]

Now we need toy ideas to test…
anyone?

[mocha200]

is there a limit on how many toys you post?

[Deleted User]

no

[mocha200]

ah thats good! hehe i might post a lot.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Oh I want to join in, but I might have difficulty posting videos because my dad is reluctant to do it for me and I don’t know how to do it!
One favorite toy of mine is home made balsa chews!
What you need is:
Bulsa wood
Grape juice (I don’t know about apple juice but I found that orange juice got moldy fast- grape juice lasted much longer)
A container to soak it in

Ok so first you chop the balsa wood into bite sized pieces.
Then you soak it in the grape juice. I put something on top to push the balsa wood down so it would be immersed in juice rather than floating on top.
Then you let it soak for about 24 hours turning as necessary.
Then you put it on a plate turning as necessary (no paper towel yet)
Then after it has sat for a while and air dried a bit then you let it sit on paper towel also turning once and a while.
Lastly- this is optional (I did it with the first batch and not the second batch and they both turned out fine.)- You put it in the oven on low heat to dry it completely (forgot what temp and how long -Sorry!).
Voilla

Oh and if you put it in the oven the color might get ligher or it might get slightly browner (It doesn’t turn completely brown it just gets browner).

[Deleted User]

What a great idea… I wonder if another wood will work, too, as I don’t have the balsa kind. Balsa is very soft, isn’t it?

[Sarita]

Petzy your trio looks like they are enjoying the challenge of that toy. I cannot get Mrmac’s video to play though.

[Deleted User]

mrmac’s videos are playing fine for me, try again! They are so cute! I made the same toy again but with dandelions inside, it was a bigger hit.

[Sarita]

Finally got Mrmac’s to play – Dennis is having a blast. Too cute.

[Deleted User]

I have a new challenge for the toy test: someone make a toy that Sarita’s Pepe will care for. (Is it possible?)

[mrmac]

OMG! A toy with dandies!!! That would be heaven! Will have to try that one!

Dennis had so much fun with the toy! It was funny to sit and watch him go nuts!

[Sarita]

LOL – good luck with that! I don’t ever think he’s played with anything. He loves to run and he loves to be petted and he loves to bite.

I can tell you what he does play with now that I think of it – I’m really not sure if it’s play or something else though…he jumps on the bed (when I’ve pulled the comforter down, won’t get on the slippery comforter), and then digs on the mattress and digs on the pillow and pulls up the pillow with his teeth – kind of an aggressive playfulness.

[Deleted User]

OK, then. Pepe in Sarita’s avatar likes :
digging
sinking teeth into things
does not care for regular toys…

I suggest a very large size thing… the problem is, how will we test it out on him???

[Deleted User]

even worse: Pepe also ignores hay

[Sarita]

But he loves Craisins :~)

I’m thinking he might like a trampoline. Because he likes to jump on the bed about 2 or 3 times a night which is why I never can sleep good, I have to wear a suit of armor in case he decides to bite me, which is all the time.

[Deleted User]

a bunny trampoline with craisins… just impossible!

oh, I know: he’d love a mini hay bale with a reservoir of craisins hidden in the center. He would have to eat his hay way to the stash!

[Sarita]

No bunny trampoline   well okay. 

I guess I’ll have to try the mini bale of hay with hidden craisins – I”ll let you know if that works

[Deleted User]

It will be a mess!

[Sarita]

I’ll stick him in the tub then LOL.

[Deleted User]

this is going too far… it was supposed to be rabbit fun!

[LoveChaCha]

Where can balsa wood chews be purchased? Also, what is used to hold down the wood in a cup?

[Sarita]

Brittany, the BB store sells balsa wood chews.

I do wonder if the chews would get moldy though just putting them in grape juice – the lady who makes them for the BB store has done alot of testing and stuff on hers.

Petzy, don’t worry, I won’t put Pepe in the tub, but I will let him attack me to get to his craisins – he thinks that’s fun.

[Deleted User]

are you saying that you are Pepe’s toy?

[Sarita]

I guess I do amuse him LOL. I think he likes the interaction even if he is acting aggressively. I guess it gets him the attention. But he’s not always aggressive, he loves to lounge around too.

He’s always been very aggressive. I know he’s just protecting himself – he knows I’m not going to hurt him, but it’s just how he reacts.

[Deleted User]

Animals enjoy “aggressive” behaviors as sport, too, I believe.

[LoveChaCha]

I need a toy that involves newspaper and blankets.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Where can balsa wood chews be purchased? Also, what is used to hold down the wood in a cup?

I got the balsa wood at a craft store. I got it at Michael’s, it came in strips and i had to chop them with a saw. I held the wood down with a plastic cup to tell you the truth because I soaked it in a tuppaware container, but if you are using a cup to soak the wood then you could use a smaller cup if possible or just anything that is heavy that will fit in the cup and push the balsa wood down and won’t leach anything bad into the juice.

I do wonder if the chews would get moldy though just putting them in grape juice

I was worried about that too but if they are properly dried they don’t seem to go moldy at all. And I checked thoroughly for any weird colored specks. The orange juice ones went moldy for some reason or another but the grape juice ones seemed fine both when they were cooked and when they weren’t.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

I need a toy that involves newspaper and blankets.

One toy that I found somewhere (it might have been on this site) was the Idea to cut holes in the sides of a toilet paper roll and stick paper into it so it goes through one hole into the middle and then through another hole on the other side- the paper goes all the way through. and do that muiltiple places on the tube. I thought it was a good Idea and my bunnies liked it!

[mocha200]

One toy that I found somewhere (it might have been on this site) was the Idea to cut holes in the sides of a toilet paper roll and stick paper into it so it goes through one hole into the middle and then through another hole on the other side- the paper goes all the way through. and do that muiltiple places on the tube. I thought it was a good Idea and my bunnies liked it!

yeah, i made that. i didn’t know i posted it on BB though.

[mocha200]

is this the toy you mean?

[FluffyBunny]

Here’s a toy Mr. Bunny loves:

note: 1/2 inch=1 cm

1. Take an old round carboard oatmeal container (like this). Usually, I like using the smaller (around 18oz) containers, since they create more of a challenge for the bunny, but any size will work.

2. Remove the top. Cut a few 1/4 to 1/2 inch holes near the bottom of the container and a few near the top. Cut one 1/2 to 3/4 inch hole on the bottom of the container.

3. Fill about 1/2 an inch of the bottom of the container with oats, barley (if you like) and dry pellets. Throw in a few pieces of dried fruit or store-bought dry treats.

4. Fill the rest of the container with small strands of timothy hay. Every handful or two, sprinkle a few pellets and oats of top of the hay. Once the container is almost full, give the stuffed container to your bunny.

5. If your bunny isn’t sure what to do with it, encourage them to sniff the holes at the bottom of the container or just sprinkle some extra pellets at the open end of the container.

I’ll post a few pics or a video of Mr. Bunny playing with this toy the next time I make one for him.

[Deleted User]

wow, mocha, I like the look of this toy! I will have to try it out on mine!

[mocha200]

i have a picture step through thing if you want it.

[MirBear]

ok, so heres my toy idea..
(you wanted us to post them here right? i skipped half the first page and all of the second)

what you need:
-sisal string
-your bun’s favorite greens
-a hand full of hay
-something VERY colourful and sefe for your buns to play with
-2 toilet paper rolls
-and a bunny.

1) string items in this order: Toilet paper roll, colourful toy, toilet paper roll
2) stuff toilet paper rolls with “the goods”
3) hang (like a clothes line) just above your bunny (s) heads.
4) place bunny under string
5) sit back and enjoy.

*option: you can also hang newspaper or blankets or somethings for them to run underneith of.. mine enjoy running through blankets*

I WILL POST PICS TOMORROW (i havent taken any pics of this toy idea yet )

[jerseygirl]

Posted By Sarita on 09/03/2010 11:47 AM
I’m thinking he might like a trampoline. Because he likes to jump on the bed about 2 or 3 times a night which is why I never can sleep good

  Sarita, this gave me visions of you waking in the night with a bunny sailing past your nose.  ”Weeeeee……….”  He could get up to a good height from a trampoline. 

Pepe might like a bean bag. I had one that Jersey used to spend ages pushing, digging at & burrowing into.  She also nibbled at the cover so I had 2 layers with the outer one being a tougher fabric. Both she and Rumball would nestle in it but then they began to mark it and it was all over then.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

is this the toy you mean?

Well it is similar except there is no hay in the middle and the paper is more scrunched (there is more paper fit into one hole).

[Deleted User]

Anyone have a home-made toy idea to share? I am thinking mocha is just being polite, waiting for other members to have a turn…

[Moonlight_Wolf]

If your bunny likes to toss things then you could just get some Popsicle sticks and drill holes in them and string then together.
I also did this thing where you stick Popsicle sticks into toilet paper rolls.

[Author]

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